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(No Model.)

W. T. & W. H. STEIGER.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SNOW DRIFT S IN ROAD OUTS, 6E0.

No. 319,143 r I Patented June 2, 1886.

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WILLIAM. T. STEIGER AND WALTER H. STEIGER, OF HOWARD COUNTY, MARY- LAND, ASSIGNORS OF GNETHIRD TO ANDREW W. STEIGER, OF NEW YORK, 1v. r.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SNOW-DRIFTS IN ROAD-CUTS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 819,143, dated June 2, 1885.

I Application filed March 23, 1885, (No model.l

To aZZ 1071,0122, 1125 may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM TELL STEI- GER and WALTER HENRY STEIGER, citizens of the United States, and residing in the'county 5 of Howard and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Devices for Preventing Snow Drifts or Blockades in Road- Quts and other Places, of which the following 1s a specification. to Our invention relates to certain devices adapted to prevent the formation of snow drifts or blockades in railroad-cuts or other places liable to a like obstruction; and its operatlon is based upon the following well-known r 5 fact, to wit: XVhen the wind blowing across a stretch of country meets an obstruction or passes over a depression in the surface of the ground, a partial vacuum is formed on the lee s de of such obstruction, or within the depres- S1011 or out near the windward side thereof, and

any particles of ice or snow which may be carried by the wind over or into said vacuum will, by having their relative weight increased, be precipitated to the ground, and any accumulation of such particles will form a drift, or, as applied to roads, a blockade. This action is more noticeable in railway cuts, more especially so when the wind is blowing at right angles, or nearly so, to the axis thereof. By careful observation it has been ascertained that by preventing the formation of the partial vacuum above mentioned the floating particles of ice and snow are sustained in the air and carried by the wind over and beyond 3 5 the point where the drift would have formed had the vacuum been allowed to form. WVe propose, by a simple arrangement of deflect ing fences or walls, to deflect a portion of the wind blowing over the cut or obstruction, and cause it to supply a counter or cross current within said cut or behind such obstruction, to prevent the formation of a vacuum.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a transverse section of a railroad-cut,illustrating the formation of a snow-drift. Fig. 2 is a plan of such a cut and a diagram view of deflecting fences or walls, whereby we propose to prevent the formation of such drifts.

In Fig. 1, a represents the general surfaceline of the ground; Z), the railroad-cut, and the arrow (1 the direction of the wind. Immediately behind the bank of the out toward the wind, as at c, a partial vacuum is formed, and the particles of ice and snow carried along by the wind in the direction of the wind, as shown by the small arrows, will, when they arrive at a point over the vacuum 0, have their relative weight increased, and be precipitated into said vacuum, and fallfito the ground, an accumulation of such particles forming a drift, as at e.

In Fig. 2, ais the surface of the ground, and b the axial line of the cut. At either or both ends of the out two sets of deflecting fences or walls, f f f, are erected, and the several fences or walls in each set are made to converge to a point conveniently near the mouth of the cut, and the fences or walls of each set are preferably made to form an angle of fortyfive degrees each with the other, the central one being set at an angle of ninety degrees with the axis of the cut. This arrangement seems to be the most effective; but we do not wish to confine ourselves strictly thereto, as in certain locations, owing to the peculiar formation of the ground, other positions for the deflecting fences or walls may be found more effective, as well as an increased or diminished number. We may also place in the cut one or more deflecting guide-fences in frdnt of the air-currents, so as to divert them from the lee side to its center line or bed of the road. In each set of deflecting fences or walls the one, f farthest from the month of the out is prolonged to form a guide, 9, which is made to extend a short distance into the cut, and run parallel with the axis thereof. These deflecting fences or walls may be made of any material, but should present a smooth, unbroken surface to the wind, and the whole may be roofed in for bothbetter secu rity against storms and greatly-increased effect.

To illustrate the operation of our device, let us suppose the wind to be blowing in the direction indicated by the arrow (2. That portion blowing over the cutwill tend to form a partial vacuum on the line 0, and to cause a drift within the cut. The windblowing between the spread ing ends of the deflecting fences or walls ff 1, or on the side of the out toward which the wind is blowing, will be converged towardthe point X, and be guided by the guide fence or wall 9 into the cut I), and will efi'ectuallyprevent the formation of a vacuum on the line a by supplying air along said line as fast as it is drawn out by the wind blowing as shown by the arrow d. The constant current from the deflecting-fences will not only prevent the formation of a vacuum on the line 0, but will What we claim as our invention is- 1. A snow drift or blockade preventer consisting of one or more fences or walls, arranged substantially as described and shown, and adapted to deflect currents of air in a longitudinal direction into a railroadmut, in traveled mountain passes, or behind obstructions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, at a railroad-cut, and to prevent a snow drift or blockade from forming therein, of two or more deflecting fences or walls converging toward a point conveniently near the cut and a guide-fence to lead the deflected current of air into the cut, substantially as for the purposes set forth.

Signed at Laurel, in the county of Prince George and State of Maryland, this 14th day of March, A. D. 1885. 4

WVM. T. STEIGER. V. H. STEIGER. Witnesses:

Jns. A. GRANDLE, JOHN HJMouursow. 

